PSESD Receives $3 Million Grant to Expand Teacher Pathways for Paraeducators

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September 10, 2026

Paraeducators in the Grow Your Own educator pathways program in the PSESD region. — *Regional “Grow Your Own Hub” will help paraeducators earn degrees and teacher certification while staying in their communities*

SEATTLE — Puget Sound Educational Service District (PSESD) has received a three-year, $3 million grant from Ballmer Group to expand pathways that help paraeducators to earn college degrees and teacher certification.

Many paraeducators have deep ties to the schools and students they serve, but few clear paths exist for them to earn a degree and move into a certified teaching role. The grant, which runs through February 2029, will fund a regional Grow Your Own Hub initiative, strengthening paraeducator pathways to increase the number of educators in elementary, special education, and multilingual education who are effective, thriving, and reflective of the students they serve.

The Grow Your Own Hub will start with more than 30 participants across two programs and grow by more than 30 each year, with a goal of helping 100 paraeducators complete teacher certification in the region by 2030. Participants can receive up to 23 credits through prior learning assessment for their paraeducator experience, coursework, and bilingual skills, shortening the time it takes to finish a degree while working.

PSESD Grow Your Own Hub Director Darin Knapp will provide advising, mentorship, and coordination across partner colleges and districts. PSESD will also connect participants to Pell Grants, the Washington College Grant, and other state financial aid, reducing reliance on foundation funding over time.

Two established programs anchor the hub. ElevatEd, based at Highline College, supports paraeducators in the Auburn, Federal Way, and Highline school districts, with expansion to Kent planned for next year. The Academy for Rising Educators (ARE), a career pathway program from Seattle Public Schools and the City of Seattle's Department of Education and Early Learning, serves paraeducators in the Seattle, Renton, and Tukwila school districts in partnership with Seattle Central College and the University of Washington.

"We at the Academy for Rising Educators are thrilled that we will be able to continue to offer our program to future educators who will be culturally aware and become the teachers that they wish they had, while covering their tuition and fees," said Dr. Pat Russell, Executive Dean of Healthcare and Human Services at Seattle Central College. "We are so pleased to be one of the only low-to-no-barrier Grow Your Own teacher prep programs in the state."

At the University of Washington, the grant means more consistent support for people already on the pathway to becoming teachers. "The Ballmer grant will allow us to be more strategic in our support for current and future educators, ensuring that they have the advising and resources they need to continue to grow as teachers," said Megan Kelley-Petersen, Director of UW Accelerated Certification for Teachers.

Patricia McDonald, an Education Department faculty member at Highline College, sees that shift firsthand in her students. "It is incredibly rewarding to walk alongside the ElevatEd candidates as they navigate college, build confidence and turn 'I think I might be a teacher someday' into a real, tangible career plan," she said.

For Ferosa Bano, an ElevatEd candidate with 26 years in her district, the support started on day one. "I am so excited to have my own classroom and bring the many years of being in the district," she said. "I have a vision for how I hope to set up my classroom and guide my students and families. Teaching in special education, I know I can really have an impact."

Nia Pagador, another ElevatEd candidate, said the cohort has carried her through the hardest parts of the program. "A safe learning space was created from the start," she said. "School is hard alone, but with this cohort, we all lean on each other, and we are still going strong."

About PSESD

PSESD is one of nine regional educational agencies serving school districts and state-approved charter and private schools in Washington. PSESD develops and delivers an array of services that provide instructional and administrative support to early learning (prenatal through kindergarten entry), pre-kindergarten through postsecondary schools, and direct service to students and families in the Puget Sound region. The PSESD region includes 35 school districts, nine charter schools, two state-tribal compact schools, and over 250 private schools.

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